Mother of Assassins
by RangerEmilyMeratyn
Summary: Connor is sent to kill an important Templar Leader, only when he arrives, he finds the leader a woman. Abagail, the mother of his friend, wife of his father and someone with an important story to tell.
1. Prolouge

_New York_

 _August 1780_

Abagail Kenway watched from her window as a group of Regulars made their way past, talking amongst themselves and laughing at a joke one of them had said. Her brunette hair was pulled into a loose bun on the nape of her neck, and her pale blue eyes shone with tears of fear. She didn't need to look to know that someone else was in her home-years of bitter experience had taught her to be alert to anything.

"You must be Connor," she said, loud enough for the other person to hear. "I knew you'd be coming."

She turned to face the assassin, a small smile on her face. "It takes skill to sneak past those Regulars that come by the house. You've trained well."

Connor seemed to flush, and nodded slightly, embarrassed. Abagail gestured to the fire, dimmed now since she'd last tended to it. "Before you kill me, I have a story to tell you."

Connor looked confused but moved to tend to the fire. Abagail had grabbed a kettle and some coffee and put it so it could brew near the fire.

"Please, sit. You'll find no trouble here, least of all from me. My children are with your father now. You look like him. Stubborn and strong-willed too from what I've heard." she smiled kindly at him as she took two mugs from her cupboard and joined Connor near the fire.

"Why are you being so kind?" Connor asked, and Abagail shrugged lightly.

"You're the son of a good friend of mine. My husband's first son," she said simply. "Angelica may be an Assassin like you now...How is she, by the way?"

"She's fine," Connor said. "She's with Commander Washington at the moment."

Abagail nodded and turned away, hiding a wince of pain. "Good. I didn't want her to be here when you came. When Achilles sent you after me."

"She knew you would have to die."

"But that doesn't mean she should have to be the one to do it." Abagail raised her hand to stop his flow of words. "But that is a story for another time. But for now, I mean to tell you all that I know. From the beginning. I only want you to listen. Please, that is my only request from you."

Connor nodded and sat back, ready to hear the woman's story.

Abagail paused for a second to gather her thoughts. "I must have been late Autumn of 1754 when I met Haytham. I had traveled to Boston with William Johnson, a close friend of mine after a letter with the Templar mark had arrived asking us to make the journey. It was there when I first met Charles Lee, and through him, the man I would later marry..."


	2. Chapter 1

_Boston_

 _1754_

"Why have we been called to Boston?" Abagail Dunbrough asked. "The letter didn't explain much, did it?"

"No," William Johnson agreed, looking over at the girl. "Not scared, are you lass?"

Abagail huffed and raised an eyebrow at her long-time friend. "Never, William. Just excited about this new adventure. Will Hickey be meeting us there? Or has he found a bed with another innkeeper's wife?"

"Now, now. Thomas is a good man. He'll be waiting for us in Boston. Hopefully, he will have found the men who stole my research." Abagail frowned at those words.

"He should have sent word by now if he had," she replied shaking her head. "Thought that was what you had told him to do."

"Aye, but he may not have." William smiled. "Don't worry too much lass, we'll get it back."

When they arrived at the inn where they were to be staying, Abagail was surprised to see a man already waiting for them. "Mistress Abagail?" The black haired man asked, reaching for her hand. She glanced at William, then gave the stranger her hand to shake.

"Just Abagail," she said, smiling at him. The stranger smiled and turned to William.

"Mr. Johnson?" He said, reaching for the other man's hand.

"Aye," William said, shaking the stranger's hand. "And you must be Charles Lee."

"That I am. Welcome to Boston. Master Kenway should be arriving in a few days time."

"Kenway?" Abagail asked, surprised. "I thought he was still in London! Why would he come to the colonies?"

"I'm afraid I don't know, Abagail," Charles said. "All I've been told was that I am to help him bring some of the Templars together. I'm also to bring Benjamin Church and Jonathon Pitcarin here as well, though they haven't arrived yet. You both are the first."

Abagail nodded, satisfied with his answer. "Well, then. I guess we should get settled and wait for this Master Kenway. Maybe Thomas will be back by the time Kenway is here."

William nodded as well, and the three of them entered the inn. Before she could say anything else, however, William placed a few coins into her hand. She looked at him, a question on her lips.

"You should go see about some women's clothes," he said, simply. "You might have to do some undercover work here."

"And what's wrong with the skirts I have now?" Abagail whispered to him, glancing over at Lee, who had started to talk to the innkeeper. "You're not trying to get Lee and I together now, are you?"

"No, no," William said. "But new clothes will suit you good. Who knows, after all, a lady of good standing might invite you to tea or something."

Abagail smiled and hugged her friend tightly. "Thank you. I'll be back soon. Save some ale for me. will you?"

"I always do."

In the three days it took Haytham to reach Boston, Abagail had found Thomas Hickey. He didn't have much to say, and for that, she was grateful. She didn't trust the man, no matter what William may tell her.

It was early evening when Haytham arrived at the inn. She swallowed her ale quickly, hiding a blush that was slowly rising on her cheeks. Haytham, in her eyes, seemed handsome enough. Smart as well. Lee seemed to know more about him than he let on, but her glance was met with a shake of the head.

She stood and smiled when William introduced her to Haytham. "And this is Abagail Dunbrough. One of the smartest women I know, and a good fighter to boot."

"Dunbrough?" Haytham said. "I take it your Katelyn's daughter then? The pirate turned Assassin?"

"Aye, my mother sailed the seas with a madman named Edward Kenway-"

"My father," Haytham said, and she nodded.

"She used to tell me stories of how he wanted a life of fortune and glory. Of how he met the Assassins and found a site of great wonders." Abagail smiled at the memories. "She settled down and married a man named John Dunbrough. Had me and my brothers and sister. They became Assassins. I ran. I'm a Templar now, have been for a couple years now."

Haytham smiled and nodded, and it felt like her heart was going to beat through her chest. "I'd like to hear those stories. Well, Lady and Gentleman, it's nice to meet you. Now, let's get to work, shall we?"

Those next few days were filled with tracking down men, saving people, and long talks long after the others had gone to bed. Abagail found herself falling into a routine with Haytham, both waking early and staying up late, talking about their next course of action.

Along the way, they acquired two more men, Church and Pitcairn. She grew to think of these men as friends, as a family, the longer they worked together.

And, the longer she worked with Haytham, the more she felt feelings grow for him. She hoped he felt the same.

Some nights, she would sneak out into the forest surrounding Boston, hoping to find a woman she'd met named Ziio. Abagail had tried on several occasions to pronounce her friend's longer name, but Ziio, with a laugh, had simply told her to call her Ziio.

It was on one such night, sitting around a campfire, where Abagail finally came clean about her feelings for Haytham. Ziio smiled and simply made a gesture that said, _go get him_.

Haytham in the meantime had asked Abagail to retell the stories her mother had told her. Abagail smiled and told him everyone she could remember. Stories of Mary Read, who had disguised herself and James Kidd. Of Adewale, who had been Edward's Quartermaster, and Katelyn's closest friend. And even of Katelyn herself, who had fought many battles and had earned her stripes as a pirate.

One night, though, she became sad and serious. "Edward Thatch," she said. "Blackbeard. One of the most talked about pirates in the Carribean and ocean. My mother was there when he died. He died fighting, she said. Like any pirate would aspire too. She carried that guilt for years. She'd always thought that it was her fault that he'd died, though Edward and Ade said it wasn't. She told me that was why she settled down. She couldn't watch anyone else die."

Haytham watched her seriously. "I'm sure she did what she could." Abagail smiled at him.

"Aye, me too." She stood and turned to go to bed. "I'm sure I'll see you bright and early tomorrow?" she asked, and he nodded. She waved slightly and walked away. But he stayed up later, wondering how he was going to find out more about this strange woman.


End file.
